Orbit AR Satellite Tracker Overview

Orbit provides real-time AR tracking for 15,000+ orbital objects

Orbit is an augmented reality (AR) application for iPhone and iPad (iOS 17+) that allows users to identify and track over 15,000 satellites, planets, constellations, and pieces of orbital debris in real time. By combining device motion sensors with orbital data, the app overlays live spacecraft positions directly onto the camera view of the sky.

Core Tracking and Visualization Features

Orbit organizes its satellite tracking capabilities across four primary viewing modes:

Sky View (AR)

Sky View uses the device camera to overlay live satellite positions and constellation lines. Crewed spacecraft, such as the International Space Station (ISS) and Tiangong station, are highlighted with pulsing rings to make them easily identifiable. The interface includes edge indicators to guide users toward objects located just outside the current camera frame.

Map and Globe Views

Users can switch between a 2D flat world map and a 3D globe to visualize orbital paths and the positions of all tracked objects from any angle.

Overhead List

The "Overhead" feature ranks the 50 closest satellites based on distance. Each entry provides specific telemetry, including altitude, velocity, and the predicted time of the next visible pass.

Pass Predictions and Catalog

Orbit calculates upcoming visible passes for satellites near the user's location, providing start times, peak elevation, and direction. The app also includes a searchable catalog of active satellites and a "Museum" section dedicated to historically significant spacecraft, ranging from Sputnik 1 to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Technical Implementation and Privacy

Data Sources and Orbital Calculation

Orbit utilizes publicly available satellite tracking data, such as orbital elements, to determine spacecraft positions. Community discussion suggests that such apps typically rely on Two-Line Element sets (TLEs) from sources like CelesTrak, which provide the parameters necessary to estimate positions within approximately 10km.

Privacy Architecture

Orbit is designed as a no-account system that processes most data locally on the device:

• Location and Camera: Camera feeds are processed in real time on-device and are never recorded or transmitted. Location and motion sensor data are used locally to calculate overhead objects and are not stored on servers.
• Diagnostics: The app collects anonymous performance and crash data that is not linked to a user's identity.
• AI Integration: The app includes an AI companion powered by Google's Gemini API. This is the only feature that transmits data (the text of the user's query) to an external server (Google) to generate responses.

User Feedback and Community Insights

Community members on Hacker News provided several technical observations and suggestions:

"The no-account and on-device location approach feels exactly right for this kind of app"

While the privacy-first approach was praised, some users reported technical issues, including device overheating during use and bugs in the satellite/debris selector within the ground track view. There were also suggestions for a "mirror mode" to allow users to see what the screen is pointing at rather than the front of the phone.